Playing House Away From Home

Chapter 6

The next day Elvis slept a little better but nowhere near well enough to not rebel against getting up at the crack of dawn. But he felt almost like himself after cramming first pills, then breakfast and then some disgusting coffee to boot down his throat.

It was one of those rare moments where he was on his own with the Mafia having congregated at the Cafeteria, Loretta not having arrived yet and everyone else, including Tom, minding their own business. So he sat in front of his trailer, elbows dug into his thighs as his hands scorched against his cheeks.

A cry of "Elvis!" caused his head to snap up. A grin made its way onto his lips when he saw the kids running up to him. When they reached him, Elvis scooped them both up, one child in each arm.

"Did you guys go to the beach?" Elvis asked as he released them.

"Yes!" Maybelle chirped. "We was swimmin'."

"Your friend told us that you and Miss Loretta was kissin'," Clayton piped up. His sister giggled beside him at the words, hands snapping over her mouth as she tried to reign the laughter in.

"Well yeah that's...that was a scene that we filmed yesterday."

Clayton wrinkled his nose. "I ain't never gonna kiss a girl, Mr. Elvis."

Elvis let out a chuckle. "You wait and see, little man. One day you're gonna see it all different." Noting the way Maybelle eyed the Pepsi bottle on the small table set up in front of his trailer, he said, "Go ahead and take it if you want."

"Miss Walker wouldn't let me," Maybelle said with a sigh.

"Miss Walker ain't here." Elvis grinned, winking at her as he picked up the bottle and handed it to her. "Let your brother have some too."

They sat down on the stairs of the trailer, passing the bottle back and forth in between them. All the while they told tales of the adventures at the beach. Elvis remained silent for the most part, but made sure to say enough to let them know that he was listening.

"Did you guys see Miss Loretta this morning?" Elvis asked when it appeared as though they had shared all there was to share about their day off.

"Yeah," Clayton said. "She was talkin' to someone. This is good." His face broke into a grin as he swirled a gulp of Pepsi around his mouth.

"I know. But let's not tell anyone how good it is. Not Miss Walker, not Mommy and Daddy, not Miss Loretta-"

"Let's not tell me what?" A familiar voice rang.

Elvis jumped slightly, not having heard her approach.

"We had this," Maybelle thrilled, brandishing the now empty Pepsi bottle.

"Don't you ever tell a kid not to tell," Loretta said, her voice dancing with amusement. "Did you guys have a good time yesterday?"

"They told me all about how they went to the beach," Elvis said. Clayton and Maybelle of course proceeded to tell Loretta everything they had just finished telling Elvis.

"I'll get me some more Pepsi." Elvis rose, waiting for the group to acknowledge him before he walked toward the Cafeteria.

"Hey E," Red West hollered from the table the Mafia had already claimed for themselves. "Want this?" He held up an unopened Pepsi bottle. Elvis strode over, deciding that joining them for a few minutes wouldn't do anyone any harm.

"They wanna do some pick ups today," Lamar said.

Elvis sighed. "How the hell do you know that?"

Lamar shrugged. "I hear things, man. Wonder if it's the kiss thing." He chuckled, the rest of the Mafia laughing along with him. "I heard that she made such a big damn deal out of that."